


Phases

by limegreentealblue



Category: Naruto
Genre: First Dates, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Netflix and Chill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:02:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24706516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limegreentealblue/pseuds/limegreentealblue
Summary: Taking place while Kakashi is in ANBU to present day, Kakashi and Gai have feelings for one another. Kakashi is struggling with his. Like any great relationship, their love doesn't bloom automatically. They navigate their feelings through phases.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 8
Kudos: 66





	1. First Kiss

Kakashi walked through the quiet streets of Konoha. The clouds were colored pink, orange, and purple as the sun began to set. The streets were almost empty except for a few couples holding hands and a few vendors closing up shop., The quiet almost unnerved him. Normally, he enjoyed silence, but the silence rang like the flinging kunai knives. 

He just returned home from another ANBU mission. If he was being honest, he couldn’t remember how long he had been gone. His missions seemed frequent and constant. Somehow, he felt unfulfilled as if something was missing like warmth or companionship.

A large voice boomed, “Kakashi, my eternal rival.” Gai slid right up to Kakashi and wrapped a large muscular arm tightly around his shoulder.

“Hm” Kakashi responded as he looked at the man standing beside him. Guy had a large brilliantly white smile, and he was so warmth. He smelled like sweat and pine trees. Kakashi didn’t remember him having as many muscles either, but he had ignored Guy and his requests for challenges for the better part of a year now.

“You’re home! Come have dinner with me. My treat,” Might Gai said.

Kakashi looked up at him. His stomach betrayed him and growled loudly. Before, he could respond and find an excuse to decline his invitation. Gai escorted his eternal rival to Ichiraku Ramen. The two men bonded over reminiscing of their youth although Gai argued he was still young. Kakashi smirked. He was glad Might Gai was a constant. He still wore green body suits and bright orange leg warmers, preached about youth, and had a bowl cut. He was still full of passion, determination, and light. Kakashi felt like the opposite. His life seemed to get darker and bleaker as the years went on.

“Glad to see some things never change,” he responded.

“Don’t worry,” Gai responded, “I will find a challenge for you later.”

“I have no doubts.”

They finished the meal, and exited the shop. The sky was dark with a few stars shining. Kakashi didn’t want to go to his empty apartment again. “Gai, would you like to come watch a movie with me?” He asked looking straight forward. He felt heat rise in his chest and his heart beat a little louder than normal.

“Are you asking me to come over?” Gai asked. Astonishment was written all over his chiseled features. His best friend and eternal rival never allowed anyone to come over.

“I am.”

Gai exclaimed and hardily pat his companion on the back,“My dearest eternal rival, I am honored. You’re full of youth and vigor today. I hardly recognize you.” 

When they arrived at Kakashi’s apartment, Gai looked around the blank grey walls. There were no pictures of his rival’s childhood, his late father, or his former team. There were very few indicators that anyone actually lived there. There was standard furniture such as a couch, coffee table, and a television. His beloved Makeout Paradise books were on the floor next to the couch. The pages were dog-eared, but nothing about the apartment said anything about the renter. 

Kakashi didn’t have many movies, but he had borrowed a few monster movies from Asuma. He was certain these movies were going to be hysterically bad, but those were the only movies he had available. “Does Mecha-Shark vs Dinosaur sound good to you?” He asked weakly. The moment he read the title, dread washed over him.

“I love a good monster battle movie,” Gai responded with a chuckle. “Want to make this a challenge?”

“How do you suppose we do that?” Kakashi inquired.

“First person to laugh loses.”

The two sat on Kakashi’s small dingy couch. As he feared, the movie was awful. The writing was cringe. It was clear that the production staff had a small budget. Both the mechanical shark and the dinosaur’s CGI was so horribly rendered. He looked over at Gai who seemed engrossed in the sham that was a plot. His body relaxed as Gai draped his arm around the couch. Gai’s large hand hovered over Kakashi’s shoulder. 

Kakashi scooted closer to Gai. Gai’s body radiated warmth and comfort. Like a hungry child, he craved more and more of Gai’s warmth and comfort. He was desperate for it. He kept his gaze steady on the screen as his eternal rival looked down at him with a grin. He could feel his heart beating in his years.

One of the characters on the television yelled, “The shark is made of metal. It’s unstoppable!” Kakashi chuckled at the horrible acting. 

“You lost, Kakashi,” Gai said. 

“I suppose you’re right,” he responded looking into at Gai’s brown eyes and brilliant smile. Like a moth to a flame, Kakashi found himself staring at Gai’s mouth. He captured the light with a gentle kiss. He wasn’t surprised that Gai’s breath was warm and spicy, and he was desperate for more. He grasped the back of Gai’s thick neck and pulled him closer. He allowed his fingers to roam through Gai’s shiny black hair. 

Gai murmured Kakashi’s name as he pulled the young man closer to him. He broke away from Kakashi’s hungry mouth. Kakashi whimpered in response as if he was being deprived of something. He softly kissed Kakashi’s forehead, nose, before returning to Kakashi’s mouth and deepened the kiss. Kakashi’s teeth grazed Gai’s bottom lip and pulled the larger man on top of him. 

The two young men, out of breath, stopped and their eyes met. Kakashi was clinging to Gai’s green jumpsuit like a fearful cat. Gai wrapped his large arms around him. “That was an excellent prize,” he said jokingly, “I will have to win more contests.”

Kakashi chuckled. He felt as if his senses were returning to him. His razor like focus was sharpened. He became all to aware he had kissed his best friend, the one constant in his life. Prior to that night, he refused to acknowledge romantic notions other than the ones in his novels, but conflicting feelings bounced around in his head. He had already lost the people he was closest to. If he and Gai got involved, wouldn’t Gai share the same fate as his father, Rin and Obito,

“It’s late,” Kakashi said, “you should go. I’m getting tired.”

Gai knew when Kakashi was lying. Kakashi’s tone was the same cold one when he told Gai to “go away’ or when he called Gai a pest. He knew Kakashi’s standard defense mechanisms, so it wasn’t hard for him to tell his rival goodnight with a friendly wave; however it was hard for Kakashi to watch him leave.


	2. Longing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a really short chapter, but I liked the idea of Kakashi realizing he had feelings for Gai and that he hadn't discussed them. So I hope you guys like it.

Kakashi wasn’t a man with wants. At least, that’s what he told himself. He was surprised when thoughts of Might Gai leisurely strolled through his brain in the middle of a mission. He wished he could see Gai’s brilliantly pearly smile or feel his large hands on his shoulder or in his hair. He missed Gai’s loud voice as he preached about youth and passion. He longed to see Gai’s body in (or out) of his form hugging green jumpsuit. Before their last encounter, he never saw Kakashi in a romantic light. 

Tenzo and a few other ANBU members ran ahead of him through the trees. As one could expect from a former member of the foundation, Tenzou’s focus never wavered. Kakashi, however, felt like his mind ebbed and flowed like the tide. He envied being able to just focus on the mission at hand. They needed to infiltrate enemy lines and gather proof of an attack on the Hidden Leaf. They had been traveling for three or four days now, and he already missed the Leaf Village.

Finally Tenzo and the other members leaped to the ground into a small clearing in the woods. “This seems like a safe place to make camp,” Tenzo said as he examined the area. There were no foot prints in the ground nor any marks in the tree from a kunai or shuriken. Kakashi followed the others. With a soft thud, he landed on the ground. The shinobi made a small fire. Fortunately, it seemed like a peaceful night. 

The night sky began to darken to a dark blue. Kakashi agreed to take the first watch as his teammates curled up in their bedrolls. They seemed to fall asleep quickly from the long day of traveling. He leaned his head against a tall tree and sighed. By the low light of the campfire, he wasn’t able to see the pages of his “Makeout Tactics” novel. With the sounds of crickets chirping and the small cracking of the campfire, the silence of the night stirred his imagination. His brain returned to the brilliant smile of Might Gai and the night they made out in his apartment. 

Despite being an avid reader of pornographic romantic novels, Kakashi never considered himself as a romantic person. Just like a cliffhanger at the end of the book, he had so many questions that demanded to be answered. He wondered how Gai felt about the night they shared that kiss, and Kakashi demanded he leave his apartment. Was Gai angry? They had seen each other since then, and Gai never treated his rival differently. He never expressed how he felt about that night. Maybe, he thought it was a fluke, a one time thing. Maybe, he had deep feelings about his rival that had been budding since childhood. Maybe, it was just a physical attraction or even curiosity. Kakashi wasn’t sure, and he wasn’t able to find out. After all, it was his fault they never discussed the incident in the first place. 

His mind seemed to echo the same questions over and over until Tenzo woke up. He rubbed his eyes before pushing himself off the ground. He wiped his hands on his pants as he walked over to Kakashi. “I can take over for second watch, senpai” he said.

“Thanks,” Kakashi replied.

Kakashi found his gear near the other members of Anbu. He set up his bed roll, and the last thought before he went to sleep was of Gai’s beautiful smile and shiny dark hair. He longed to see him again.


	3. Reflections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I hadn't written anything about how Might Gai feels, so this chapter is his reflections on growing up with Kakashi. I have a had a hard time following the time line specifically, but I did do my best. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Might Gai had always been romantic. It was a trait he had inherited from his father. He truly believed in love at first sight, and he met the love of his life when he was 7 years old. He had just learned he failed the entrance exam for the ninja academy. As he and his father walked away from the school, they saw a young boy with white hair. The lower half of his face was covered by a black mask. He was accompanied by his father. He looked like an older version of the boy, but his eyes were kinder. He wore a standard army green vest that the other jonins of the village wore, and his face was uncovered.

He remembered the boy’s father warmly saying, “Nice to meet you. My son will be attending the academy. I hope these two will get along okay.”Gai’s eyes were locked on the young boy standing in front of him. He seemed so confident and mature for his age as if he had been preparing for adulthood since he was born; however, he was sure the child was younger than he was. His dark eyes seemed cool like swimming in a lake during the night

Gai’s father closed his eyes. His head was tilted towards the sky as he replied, “No, I am afraid that will be impossible.”

Gai vaguely recalled the other man looking surprised as he gasped, “Huh, what a thing to say! Are you one of those monster parents?!”The older man jumped back, but his son stayed perfectly still. His face remained emotionless as if he was examining the situation

Finally the boy spoke in a clear, calm, rational voice, “No dad, you’re wrong, he failed the entrance exam.”

The two adults laughed off the blunder before the boy interrupted, “Dad, we should get going before we are late.” The white haired boy and his father walked past Gai and Dai. Might Gai knew he had one chance to leave an unforgettable impression on that boy.

Finally a grin began to form on Gai’s face. He wore a beaming smile as he turned around to face the young boy. “Your name is Kakashi Hatake, right? Thank you for your support.” He gave an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Kakashi called out to him, “Hey you!” Gai and his father stopped and turned around as Kakashi asked, “What’s your name?”

“Might Gai,” Gai answered with a genuine grin. “I’m going to be the strongest person around.”

Might Gai loved spending time with Kakashi.He wanted to prove to the white-haired boy that he was worth his attention. Admittedly, he might have come across as annoying. He’d pop up and challenge Kakashi. Kakashi would huff in annoyance and normally turn him away. Finally, he accepted. The two boys spent all their spare time sparring, playing “rock, paper, scissors”, climbing mountains, and racing. Gai remembered his youth to be the happiest times of his life. He always enjoyed playing with Kakashi in the woods and spending timewith his father. His missed his father’s energy, brightness, and zest for life, and he actively tried to emulate his father’s best qualities.

Gai remembered when his father died. He opened the eighth gate to protect Gai and his team.

He remembered the tears welling up in his eyes as his father’s skin turn charcoal gray and crumbled into ash. When he returned to the village, he felt alone. Everywhere he looked, he saw his neighbors turn and whisper to one another.He understood that his father, “the perpetual genin”, wasn’t expected to be a hero. When he returned to his empty home, it felt like an empty shell. He kept expecting to hear his father’s loud voice bellow, “My boy! You’re home! Tell me about your mission.” There was no large bear hug or the smell of curry filling the home. 

He heard a soft knock on the door.He opened the door to find his rival shifting uncomfortably in front of the door. His eyes seemed bloodshot as if he had also been crying. “I heard the news. I always liked your dad,” Kakashi said quietly. He came inside the small home. He saw a pair of small shoes by the door. There was a sign on the wall that read “Home is where the heart is.”

“Are you okay?” Kakashi asked. He examined his friend’s expression. Gai’s eyes became to water. Gai’s knees gave out under him as he began to sob. He rubbed his eyes as Kakashi knelt beside him. Kakashi gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder. Gai turned towards his friend and shook his head. Kakashi was the only person to check on him. Gai was certain that his friend was the only person who considered Dai as more than the "eternal genin." Most kids and adults thought Gai and his father were strange, but Kakashi always seemed pulled to them as if they were destined to be in one another's lives.

Kakashi took Gai’s hand in his. “I’m sorry, Gai,” he murmured. Kakashi ended up staying at Gai’s house. The two children found solace in one another and their bond was forged in tragedy. When the two children were not on missions, they were training together or just spending time at one another’s homes. Kakashi preferred spending time at Gai’s house.

Gai was sure then that nothing could separate them, but his friend distanced himself from everybody after Obito’s death.He stopped visiting Gai and claimed he was too busy with his missions. While Gai understood that his rival preferred his space and was grieving, he couldn't help feeling pulled to come to his friend's aid. Although Kakashi often denied the need for any assistance, Gai felt as if grief wasn't something any person should deal with alone.

He recalled when he was a substitute for Obito on a mission. It was his first time working with Minato sensei, Rin, and Kakashi. Although Kakashi made it perfectly clear that “He can not replace Obito”, Gai desperately wanted to prove that he was capable and worthy of Kakashi’s admiration and respect. He was sick of Kakashi’s hip, modern attitude and he disobeyed Kakashi’s orders. Luckily Kakashi decided to come to his aid. They were able to work together and survived.

Reflecting on their past together, Gai realized he was never surprised by his blossoming feelings for his rival. There was a reason he worried so much about Kakashi being in ANBU despite responding directing to the Fourth Hokage. He was in love. “Okay Gai,” he said to himself as he trained alone in the field as he did another pushup. “You will do whatever you can to support Kakashi until you can tell him your feelings.”


End file.
